History of The Comeback (TV series) in Timeline

The Comeback, an HBO sitcom starring Lisa Kudrow as actress Valerie Cherish, follows her attempts to revive her career in Hollywood. Created by Kudrow and Michael Patrick King, the show satirizes the entertainment industry and reality television. Originally airing for one season in 2005, it was revived nine years later for a second season. The third season premiered in 2026.

1989: I'm It! debut

In 1989, Valerie Cherish found fame on a sitcom called "I'm It!".

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1993: I'm It! ends

In 1993, the sitcom called "I'm It!" ended.

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2004: Conception of The Comeback

In 2004, "The Comeback" was conceived by Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King, after their work on "Friends" and "Sex and the City".

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September 4, 2005: Cancellation After Season 1

On September 4, 2005, the first season of "The Comeback," consisting of 13 episodes, concluded. Subsequently, the series faced cancellation.

September 21, 2005: Cancellation of The Comeback by HBO

On September 21, 2005, HBO confirmed that "The Comeback" had been canceled after being on the air only 13 weeks.

2005: Cast as Aunt Sassy on Room and Bored

In 2005, Valerie Cherish is cast as Aunt Sassy on a new network sitcom called "Room and Bored" and as part of landing the role, agrees to chronicle her return to the television industry on a reality television series called "The Comeback".

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2005: Possible Ending

In 2005, after Season 1, Lisa Kudrow had this to say: "that was an ending, that was definitely an ending because I guess now we see that those episodes were a piece and these episodes were a piece and then if we do more then we will be doing that piece."

August 1, 2006: DVD Release

On August 1, 2006, "The Comeback – The Complete Only Season" was released on Region 1 DVD, with special features.

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September 18, 2006: Region 2 DVD Release

On September 18, 2006, the Region 2 version of "The Comeback – The Complete Only Season" was released on DVD.

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2009: Entertainment Weekly's Top 10 Shows of the Decade

In 2009, Entertainment Weekly named "The Comeback" one of the 10 best shows of the decade, calling it "the most brilliantly brutal satire of reality TV ever captured on screen."

2012: Entertainment Weekly Lists The Comeback as Cult TV Show

In 2012, Entertainment Weekly listed the show at No. 8 in the "25 Best Cult TV Shows from the Past 25 Years," stating it was too inaccessible to a mass audience. Entertainment Weekly also voted Valerie Cherish on "The Comeback" as Lisa Kudrow's second best performance.

2012: The Guardian's Commemorative Article

In 2012, UK newspaper The Guardian praised the show for its bittersweet comedy and Lisa Kudrow for her ego-free acting.

December 28, 2014: End of Season 2 Revival

On December 28, 2014, the second season of "The Comeback" ended. This revival season comprised eight episodes, marking a return for the series after a nine-year hiatus.

2014: Season 2 Viewership and Hopes for More

According to HBO, the second season drew an average of 1.4 million viewers across its channels and on demand in 2014. Lisa Kudrow indicated that she and Michael Patrick King had the impression that the door was open for more episodes.

2014: Reality TV Pilot and Casting on Seeing Red

In 2014, Valerie Cherish tried producing a reality TV pilot and was later cast as a fictionalized version of herself on an HBO series called "Seeing Red," which chronicles the career of the sitcom writer and producer who tormented her on "Room and Bored".

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August 4, 2015: Season 2 DVD Release

On August 4, 2015, Season 2 was released on DVD in a combo-pack along with Season 1 entitled "The Comeback: Limited Series", containing all 21 episodes of the series.

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July 21, 2020: Cast Reunion on Stars in the House

On July 21, 2020, the cast of "The Comeback" reunited on the live streamed web series "Stars in the House," raising money for Actors Fund of America.

2023: Hollywood Labor Disputes Sabbatical

During the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, Valerie took a brief, self-proclaimed "sabbatical".

March 22, 2026: Season 3 Premiere

On March 22, 2026, the third and final season of "The Comeback" premiered.

2026: Return for Final Season Amid AI Domination

In 2026, Valerie returned for a third and final season. She found herself in a television landscape increasingly dominated by AI after being cast in a new sitcom at her former network, only to discover the series is the first to be written entirely by AI.